Hydraulic flushing-valve.



No. 645,622. Patented Mar. 2o, |900.

- w. E. HmsnALE.

HYDRAULIC FLUSHlNG VALVE.

(Application med Mar. s. i899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES':

WINFIELD E. HINSDALE, OF EV YORK, N. Y;

HYDRAULIC FLUSHlNG-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,622, dated Marcil 2o, loco.

Application filed March 3, 1899.

To all whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that I, WINFIELD E. HINsDALE,

a citizen of the United States, residin gin N ew York,- in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have made a new and useful Invention in Hydraulic Flushing-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed particularly for use in connection with water-closets, slopsinks, urnals, dac., but especially with the former; and it has for its objects, first, to provide a tiushing valve or device which may be applied to any system ofV water-supply no matter what may be the pressure and Without the intervention of other means forregulating the supply of water Where such flush*- ing is required, and, second, to provide a ushing valve or device of the character -indicated wherein the time of flow and the pressure and volume of water to be used at the iiX- ture to be iiushed may be regulated without breaking any water connection.

My invention will be fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View taken through the body of my' novel flushing-valve, the valve-operating handle being broken away to show the interior weighted structure thereof; and Fig. 2 is asimilar longitudinal sectional view taken through that portion of the valve which regulates the pressure and volume of the Water to the fixture to be flushed and illustrates the regulator partially closed.

Prior to my invention it was customary in the manufacture and installation of sanitary fixtures to connect the flushing valve or valves thereof directly in a cistern or a stationary flushing-reservoir located above the fixture, regulating the flow of water therefrom by various types of valve-controllin g apparatus, and to utilize the pressure therefrom for performing the iiushiug function. All such systems, however, are in a measure faulty in that they are productive of'disagreeable noises andV oftentimes wasteful of Water. Furthermore, the inlet-valves to such systems oftentimes become worn or ineffective, causing a hissing noise, due to the waste of the water. The outlet-valves used with such systems alsobecome faulty by reason of the fact that Serial No. '707,5 81. (No model.)

l different kinds lof water are liable to corrdde joints or incrust close-Working parts, rendering them inoperative. Certain waters also destroy the linings of such reservoirs and from many other causes, unnecessary to mention here, these systems are defective. My invention is designed especially to overcome all these objectionable faults and also to do away with the necessity of the use of anyintermediate chamber or reservoir for supplying water from a high-pressure system to the low pressure, which is necessitated in connection with flushing systems in general. With my novel hydraulic flushing valve or device the water may be brought directly to the valve from the street-main or from acirculating system in a building having pumps in the basement, or the supply of Water may' -top of the building and the water from such tank delivered to my automatic flushingvalves at various' points in the building, the invention being of such a nature that it may be quickly and readily applied and adjusted to suit the `variable pressures due to the positions 4where a number of such valves are or may be-located upon the different lioors of a building, the invention being of such a nature that the valve receives the pressure at full head and delivers it tothe fixture to be flushed at the desired flushing pressure and Volume, varying at from, say, three pounds per square inch to any desired pressure and volume, approximating that of the head, if need be, andsuch ushing pressure and volume may be quickly and readily varied at any time without in any way interfering with the flow of water to the vvalve from the head or sour-ce of pressure. In like manner the time of flow or period of action of the valve is adjustable and under perfect control and without in any way interfering with the iioW-of watertherethrough.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, A represents a high-pressure or valve chamber connected directly to the supply-pipe of the system by a screw-threaded part P.

B represents a cylinder secured by a screwcollar R4 to one end of the high-pressure or -valve chamber A and provided with Watertight packing p2 between said parts, said cylinder having secured to its free end a detachbe located in a tank in the attic or upon the t able cylinder-head R, provided with a watertight packing-ring p3. v

C represents a valve-opening piston provided with grooved water-tightpacking, as shown, said piston being secured to or constituting part of a hollow piston-rod N and adapted to be moved in one direction by the inflow of water in an operating-chamber E.

F represents a strong spiral spring, one end of which is seated about an inward projection of the cylinder-head R, the other endbeing similarly seated about a corresponding projection in the valve-opening piston C and adapted normally to hold it in the position shown.

G represents the fiushing-valve, secured to the other end of the piston-rod N and provided with packing p, adapted to be seated when in closed position against the val ve-seat of the valve-opening V in the high-pressure or valve chamber' A, the arrangement being such that the pressure tendency of the incoming water is always to hold the valve securely closed upon its seat, as indicated by the arrow, and in such manner as to positively avoid all leakage when so closed.

I represents the outlet or flushing chamber, connected by a pipe J and screw-collar R to the closet or other iixtu re to be flushed. This outlet or flushing chamberl is secured by a screw-collar R3 directly to one end of the high-pressure or valve chamber A and is made water-tight by a packing-ring p.

I-I H represent the regulator for regulating the volume and pressure of the water flowing to the fixture to be flushed and consists of two cylindrical parts, one sliding within the other and each having a series of slots or openings which are'the exact counterparts of those in the other, the outer part H being secured by screw-threads to a collar Z, which is held in position by the collar R3, while the inner part H is similarly secured by a collar U, sleeve w, and hollow thimble V to the cylinder-head R2 of the outlet or ushing chamber I by an adj usting-screw P,provided with the necessary packing and screw-collar for maintaining the parts water-tight. The total area of the slots or openings in the regulator H H is preferably equal to the total area of the outlet at the valve-opening V, so that when the valve G is in its extreme lefthand position and said slots or openings are wide open the flow and pressure will be equal to that of the flow and head from the-source of water-supply.

Q, is a pipe secured to the end of the hollow piston-rod N and constituting a continuance of said hollow piston rod, extending through hollow sleeves w w', attached to the collar U, which collar sustains the inner part H of the regulator H H in such man ner that it may move back and forth therethrough.

P2 is a branch pipe connecting the highpressure or valve chamber A with a valvechamber V2, connected in turn with the operating-chamber E, located behind the valveopening piston C.

D is an operating-valve seated in the valvechamber V2 and secured to one end of a spindle S, said spindle being provided with a highpitch male screw-thread adapted to be rotated in a corresponding female screw-thread in a supporting part X, secured to the valvechamber V2. i

K is an operating-handle attached to the outer end of the spindle S and weighted at its lower end, as shown at L, so that it will normally assume the position shown in the drawings with the valve D seated, the arrangement being such that said operating-handle K can never be swung through an arc of more than one hundred and twenty degrees, so that when held in its upper position it will come mechanically in contact vwith the cylinder B and when released will fall byits own weight to a closing position.

The valve-chamber V2 is made water-tight with relation to the pipe IP2 and supporting part X by packing and screw-collars r r. The hollow piston-rod N is connected directly with the cylinder B by an opening d, in which is 1ocated a ti me-regulatin g screw-valve M, adapted to regulate the flow of water therethrough. O is a vent or opening for the hollow pistonrod N.

It 4will be apparent on inspection of the drawings that the working area or surface ofl the valve-opening piston C is considerably larger than the corresponding working area or surface of the valve G, such relative proportions being necessary in order that the pressure of the water upon the piston when it is admitted into the operating-chamber E shall overcome the pressure of the spring B and the opposing force or pressure of the water against the working area or surface of the valve G.

The operation'of the invention is as follows: Suppose the parts to have been properly regulated for a given pressure or head,the required volume of flushing-water, and time of such flush. The user simply lifts the weighted handle K for an instant and releases it. Vate'r therefore iiows from the high-pressure or valve chamber A through the pipe P2 and valve'- chamber V2 into the operating-chamber E and against the working area or surface of the piston C, contained in the cylinderB, thereby forcing it to the left against the compressive action of the spring F and drawing with it the hollow piston-rod N and the flushing-valve G, so that water flows in the direction of the arrow to the right from the high-pressure or valve chamber A around the valve G and through the valve-opening V and the slots or openings in theregulator H H' into the outlet or flushing chamber I, the pressure of such outflow and the volume thereof being determined by the adjustment ofthe regulator H H. e As the handle is immediately dropped the pressure is of cou rse removed from behind IOO IIC

, 645,622 l l s the valve-opening piston O. 4Consequently the spring F now exerts its entire energy upon the piston, causing the same to move to the right, and at the same time the pressure of the water in the high-.pressure or valve chamber A in the direction of the arrow upon the valve G aids in such tendency. Therefore the pis` ton moves slowly to the right during the time for which the valve is set to ush, the valve G tinallycoming into its seated position,where it is securely held, as shown in the drawings. As this piston moves to the right under the influence of the spring F the water in the operating-chamber E is forced out through the opening cl and the adjustable time-regulating valve M into the hollow piston-rod N, finally escaping through the vent or opening O at the extreme right into the outlet or flushing chamber I. At the same time some of this water passes to the left through opening e into the cylinder B, so as to constitute a water seat or check for the piston and prevent anydamaging iniiuence to or undue noise of the parts in their movement under the action of the highpressure dow from the chamber A through valve-chamber V2 and operating-chamber E on the opening movement of the valve G, as already described.

Should one wish to extend the flushing action temporarily, it is only necessary to hold the weighted handle K in its upper position for the requisite time. If it is desired to increase the time of flushing for an instantaneous opening and closing of the valve D, it is only necessary to remove the cylinder-head R and turn the time-regulating valve-screw M in the proper direction to diminish the flow of water from the operatingchamber E. Shouldan increasedv speed of operation be desired, it is of course only necessary to reverse the adjustment of said screw. Should it be Adesired to either increase or decrease the volume and pressure of water to the fixture to be flushed, it. is of course only necessary to turn the regulating-screw P in the proper direction, thereby increasing or decreasing the area made by the slots or openings in the regulator H H. It is also apparent that these adjustments can all be effected Without in any manner interfering with the liow of water to the iiushing-valve or without taking the device apart. It will be understood that where a number of su'ch regulating devices or valves are used in a building connected to a supply system of a definite high pressure those located in the upper part of the building would be regulated by the regulator H H', so as to give a delinite liow of water at a definite pressure, while those for the lower iloors would be correspondingly regulated for a similar flow of water at the same pressure, if desired. The time regulation of such iiow would of course be effected as desired by the screw regulating-valve M.

I do not limit myself to the especial details of construction hereinbefore described, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings. I

the character indicated in which the control- Y ling-valve is opened by the action of the water itself upon a piston in an independent chamber and that the regulation thereof as to the time of flow, pressure, and quantity of Water to be used shall be-effected without breaking any water connection,and my claims are generic as to these particular features.

I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to construct a flushing-valve for closets and the like in which the movement of the valve is effected by the pressure of the water itself, said valve being also provided with means for regulating the time of such flow, as disclosed in British patent to Lefevre, No. 21,543, dated November 8, 1894, and I make no claim hereinafter broad enough to include such a structure.

I am also aware that it is old in the art toconstruct a flushing-valve with two independent chambers, one of which is connected directly with the water-supply and the other with the fixture to be flushed, and to locate a valve in one of said chambers and a piston in the other, said valve and piston being conn ected together by a piston-rod, as disclosed in United States patent to Smith, No.177,023, and also that it is old to constructa flushingvalve with the dashing-chamber connected directly to a source of water-supply, the valve being seated in said chamber and operatively connected by a piston with a plunger acting in the nature of a dash-pot, the valve being connected with means for opening it directly by hand and additional means in the nature of a spring for restoring it to its seated position, as disclosed in United States patent to Smith, No. 91,574, and I make no claim hereinafter broad enough to include such structures, the inventions referred to in the aforesaid patents being directed especially to iiushing-valves which are actuated at the time of opening them directly by the hand of the user and not by the action of the water itself, as is the case with my n ovel valve.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A flushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of 'water-supply and to the fixture to be iiushed, in combination with a valve-opening piston located in an independent operating-chamber and operativel y connected by a hollow piston-rod with the valve; together with means for admitting Water from the source of supply into the IOO IIO

operating-chamber behind the piston and in such manner as to open the valve by the direct action of the water, the working area or surface of the piston being greater than the corresponding working area or surface of the valve acted upon by the outfiowin g or flushing water, the piston having an opening and a time-regulating screw-valve for gradually releasing the water behind it, substantially as described.

2. A flushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of water-supply and to the fixture to be flushed, in combination with a valve-.opening piston located in an independent operating-chamber and operatively connected by a hollow piston-rod with the valve; together with means for admitting water from the source of supply into the operating-chamber behind the piston and additional means, in the nature of a spring, for restoring said piston and valve to their normal positions after each operation, the piston having an opening and a time regulating screw-valve for gradually releasing the water behind it, substantially as described.

3. A fiushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of water-supply and to the fixture to be flushed, in combination with a valve-opening piston located in an independent operating-chamber and operatively connected bya hollow piston-rod with the valve; together with a branch pipe and a valve-chamber operatively connecting the source of water-supply with the independent operatingchamber; an operating-valve 1ocated in said valve-chamber and regulating means in the piston for regulating the time of the flow of water from the-operating-chamber to and through the hollow piston-rod and. to the fixture to be flushed, substantiallyv as described.

4. A flushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of water-supply and to the fixture to be flushed, in combination with a valve-opening piston located in an independent operating-chamber and operatively connected by a hollow piston-rod with the valve; together with a branch pipe and a valve-chamber operatively connecting the source of water-supply with the independent operating-chamber, an operating-valve located in said valve-chamber; means, as a spiral spring, located behind the piston for restoring it to normal position after each operation, the working area or surface of the piston being greater than the corresponding Working area or surface of the valve and regulating means, in the nature of a valve-screw and an opening, in the piston for regulating the outflow of water from the operatingchamber to and through the hollow pistonrod and to Ithe xture to be flushed, all of said parts acting substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A iiushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of water-supply and to the fixture to be flushed, in combination with a valve-opening piston located in an independent operating-chamber and operatively connected with said valve, togetherwith a branch pipe and Valve-chamber containing an operating-valve, said pipe and valve being connected to the same source of Water-supply and to the operating-chamber containing the piston; means operatively connected with the piston for regulating the time of each fiushing action after the operatingvalve has been released and an opening through the piston for admitting water behind the same in such manner as to act as a check thereto, substantially as described.

6. A flushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of water-supply and to the fixture tobe flushed; `in combination with a valve-opening piston located in an operating-chamber and operatively connected with the valve and to the source of water-supply by a branch pipe and valvechamber connected to the operating-chamber at a point behind the piston-head; a handoperated valve seated in said valve-chamber, an escape vent or opening and a time-regulating screw-valve for regulating the time of the discharge of the water from the operating-chamber; together with regulating means located between the flushing-valve and the fixture to be flushed for regulating the pressure and volume of waterat the fixture, substantially as described.

7. A fiushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of Water-supply and to the fixture to be flushed; in combination with a valve-opening piston located in an operating-chamber and operatively connected with the valve and to the source of water-supply by a branch pipe and valvechamber connected to the operating-chamber at a point behind the piston-head; a hand operating-valve seated in said valve-chamber, an escape vent or opening and a time-regulatingscrew-valve for regulating the time of the discharge of the water from the operating-chamber g together with means, asastrong spiral spring, for restoring the piston to its -normal position and regulating means located between the flushing-valve and the fixture to be flushed for regulating the pressure and volume of water at the fixture, substantially as described.

8. A fiushing device consisting of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of water-supply and to the fixture to be flushed; in combination with a valve-opening piston located in an operating-chamber and operatively connected with the valve and to the source of water-supply by a branch pipe and valvechamber connected to the operating-chamber IOO IIO

. an escape vent or opening and a time-regulating screw-valve for regulating the time of at a point behind the piston-head; a hand- 'pendent operating-chamber; a valve-operateziaeaz i operated valve seated in said valve-chamber,

the discharge of the water from the operating-chamber; together with regulating means located between the {lashing-valve and the fixture to be ilushed and consisting of two slotted cylindrical parts one of which is'perinanently and the other adjustably secured tothe outlet or flushing chamber, substantially as described.

9. In a ilushing device, the combination of a valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of water-supply and to the fixture to be flushed; an indeing piston located in said chamber and connected to said valve; a connection between said operating-chamber and said valve-chamber behind said piston; a hand-operated valve seated in said connection; an escape vent or opening in said piston, and a time-regulating screw-valve carried by said piston for regulating the time of the discharge of the water from the operating-chamber, substantially as described.

l0. In a flushing device, the combination with a main valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of supply and to a ixture to be flushed, of an independent operating-chamber, a valve-operating piston located in said chamberand connected to the main valve, a connection between said operating-chamber on the pressure receiving side of the piston and the source of supply, a hand-valve seated in said` connection, said piston being provided with l passages therethrough one of which leads from the side of the operating-chamber opposite the pressure-receiving side of the piston to a point of discharge, and the other of which leads from the operating-chamber on the pressure-receiving side of the piston to a point of discharge, and a time regulating screw-valvein thelatter of said passages, substantially as described.

ll. In a iushing device, the combination with a main valve and a valve-chamber, the latter being connected directly to a source of supplyand to a fixture to be liushed, of an independent operating-chamber, a valve-operating piston located in said chamber and connected to the main valve, a connection between said operating-chamber on the pressure receiving side of the piston and the source of supply, a hand-valve seated in said connection, said piston being provided with passages therethrough one of which leads from the side of the operating-chamber opposite the pressure-receiving side of the piston leads from the operating-chamber on the pressure-receiving side of the piston to a point of discharge, a time-regulating screw-Valve in the latter of said passages, and means, such as a spiral spring, for restoring said piston to its normal position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed iny naine this 28th day of February, 1899.

WINFIELD E. HINSDALE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES J. KINTNER, M. F. KEATING.

to a point of discharge, and the other of which 

